With the last film in the Harry Potter series set to debut, audiences around the world will line up to see how Harry finally reckons with the evil dark mage Voldemort. TIME looks at other famous nefarious wizards

10. Gargamel

By Ishaan TharoorThursday, July 14, 2011

Hanna-Barbera / Everett Collection

There are more sinister creatures than this rotten-toothed, patch-robed, balding curmudgeon. (His cat, though named after the Archangel of Death, is a pathetic, ratty thing.) And, sure, there are worse things than picking on a tribe of hat-wearing blue pygmies who seem to practice female infanticide. But why does Gargamel have to be so mean to the Smurfs? Can't he just leave them to their curious patriarchal ways in their mushroom village? No, he must misanthropically plot among his potions and spell books various schemes to bring an end to this whole community. Too bad for him it never works out quite as he would hope.